This invention relates generally to processor-based systems.
Processor-based systems may include any device with a specialized or general purpose processor. Examples of such systems include personal computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cell phones, cameras, web tablets, electronic games, and media devices, such as digital versatile disk players, to mention a few examples.
Conventionally, such devices use either semiconductor memory, hard disk drives, or some combination of the two as storage. One common semiconductor memory is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). A DRAM is a volatile memory. Without refreshing or after power is removed or lost, it does not maintain the information stored thereon. Thus, DRAMs may be utilized as relatively fast storage that operates with microprocessors. One typical application of DRAM is in connection with system memory.
Conventionally, a processor-based system included a variety of different memories or storages. Examples of such systems include hard disk drives, static random access memory, and dynamic random access memory. The more memories that must be plugged into the processor-based system, the more space that is required. Moreover, the more memories that are required, the more overhead that is associated with maintaining those various memories.
In many processor-based systems, especially in embedded applications, it is desirable to implement the systems as cost effectively as possible. Moreover, in a variety of applications, including embedded applications, it may be desirable to implement the systems in the smallest possible size that is possible.
Thus, there is a need for improved processor-based systems.